HALF LIFE: ALYX In-Depth Review (2024) | My First VR Game Took My Breath Away! (Recap)

แชร์
ฝัง
  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 พ.ย. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 105

  • @beyond_xen
    @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    Thank you so much for your patience in waiting for this review BX Community! And welcome to all newcomers! I hope you will enjoy all the hard work I've put into it. I had a great time putting this together. Thanks for sharing in my first VR experiences!
    -BX

    • @Valkester
      @Valkester หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Been waiting for this, I am going to get the popcorn!!

    • @_VRSTAR
      @_VRSTAR หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I’m so happy you made this! I can’t wait to watch this and I’ll watch it again in VR so I don’t miss anything! You have become my favourite TH-camr! Keep doing you! 🎉🤩👏🏻🙌🏻👌🏻💕

  • @RigmodsModding
    @RigmodsModding หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    what sets this apart from the other hfa reviews is this guys in-depth knowledge of the franchise as a whole.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Wow thanks. I never considered myself a lore buff. But I suppose the necessary research to do such a review helped. Thank you so much for the compliment. ☺️

  • @angelita_bandita
    @angelita_bandita หลายเดือนก่อน +10

    Your gifts and creativity shine throughout the video! You're a pro! 🤩🏆
    Well done, Brandon! 👏

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Thank you, Mom!!

  • @jeremygman2710
    @jeremygman2710 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    Don't know if anyone else has already told you about this, but there is an Alyx community mod called "Campaign+" (campaign plus) that offers MUCH more challenging combat. The Combine are more aggressive, will flank you, surround you, and otherwise not just stand there to be shot, and many of them carry additional forms of armor and shielding. To survive you'll need to move around, take cover, and try and sneak up on Combine more. I've played Alyx (and the other Half-Life games, in VR and flat-screen mode) many times, and in Campaign+ I still die a lot.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      That sounds exciting!! Thanks for letting me know.

  • @gerasmus
    @gerasmus หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Love your editing and storytelling skills.
    1. It likely took you days of TLC to play, edit and write the video?
    2. Where/how did you learn the skills, did you have paid coaching?
    3. Did you have training to write (sales) copy/storytelling frameworks?
    4. Maybe you can have your 'ortigin story' somewhere?

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you! God has blessed me with the ability to write, because I haven't been formally trained. I've always been great at spelling and okay with grammar. I started writing short stories in my teens in which I recorded many of those on Windows XP Sound Recorder. I used to narrate my characters in the style of Frank E. Peretti - I think it was a tape of This Present Darkness I heard as a teen. A spiritual battle novel in which he voiced different characters uniquely. That production style was a huge influence on me. I used to record while playing game asset sound effects and music in the background - queued live - played from speakers from behind the mic while I narrated. Very cheap and bad sounding setup but I recorded many hours of audio which will likely never see the light of day outside of family and friends many years ago. It was my training grounds in a sense.
      This Alyx review was actually weeks of pouring over the script writing, editing, and research. And then I would continue to edit and improvise as I recorded. My original script had over 8000 words, so the final recorded piece had somewhere between 8k to 10k words.
      As with my early days, I put myself in the place in which my story was unfolding so I could tell the story with feeling and emotion. For example, before I recorded the Jeff narration bit, I listened to the sound track I purchased for this review to get me in the mood.
      It's all based on instinct for me.
      So it's just been my life of watching documentaries and online reviews in which I would imitate in those early short story recordings and little videos here and there on TH-cam. I have a big history of videos on my music channel: Brandon Burch Music.
      It's a lifetime of self education. Thank you for asking. 🙂 I don't take credit for it, but give glory to my God the Lord Jesus Christ.
      -Brandon

  • @TheWavys
    @TheWavys หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Bro it's genuinely so cool to see your excitement for trying VR for the first time. I remember the same overwhelming feeling my first time and you brought a little bit of that magic back for me!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you for sharing in my excitement! I'm hoping to get a Quest 3 soon because I love VR so much!

  • @dave230k33k
    @dave230k33k หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    now just imagine what they could do with HL3

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Oh man 😲 Valve please! Imagine indeed! It will / would be so awesome!!

  • @QiVR42
    @QiVR42 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    What a superb review. Very professionally put together, and the hour just flew by as I watched! 🤩

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Thank you QiVR42 for noticing and I'm humbled by your response.

  • @JeremySmithPhotography
    @JeremySmithPhotography หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    9:25 Hello Beyond Xen Community! Awesome review! I'm really looking forward to the next adventure!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you Jeremy!!

  • @paladinbirdy6032
    @paladinbirdy6032 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Your first VR game and you chose the best of the best. You'll never get the same feeling again (except maybe with Boneworks)

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you!! yeah, I agree. It's tough to get that same feeling once you've experienced VR. As far as games, I am told of many other great games that shine in different ways than Alyx. So I'm looking forward to those. I'll be checking out Boneworks some day too.

  • @Wes80Rob
    @Wes80Rob หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Awesome review. Awesome video. Great job, dude. Glad you enjoyed this game so much. I know I have!
    Commenting for the algorithm.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thanks Wes!

  • @duoduos9221
    @duoduos9221 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    The day has finally come!! It's amazing to see how far you've come as a creator. I remember watching your older videos and you've really improved on your skills and its been great to see how you've grown over time. Great video Brandon. Love ya dude ❤

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you so much for noticing and for your support!

  • @_VRSTAR
    @_VRSTAR หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Just finished your review 🤯I’m blown away by it! It was incredible and so well done! I too used to lay upside down and imagine what it would be like to walk on the ceiling 🤣I’m so glad I’m not alone! Fantastic review and I’m so excited to see what’s next for you! 🎉

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      That's so cool VRSTAR! It's neat to know we are similar in that imaginative way! Thank you for watching, as always. I'm so happy you were blown away and enjoyed the review.

  • @StarFallTube
    @StarFallTube หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Nice recap of your first experiences. Agree that what you see inside the headset just cannot compare to what a video of gameplay shows, blew me away when I first stood on that balcony even though I had seen tons of videos of the game before. I do believe this is a huge point in why people are really not interested in vr as they think it just looks like you have your eyes glued to a monitor.
    Price is the other big one that is always mentioned but a second hand quest 2 (or new old stock) can be had for cheap now so an awesome time to get into vr (don't really know anything about other models so can't comment on those).
    I got myself a quest 2 for my birthday many years ago and I still use it quite a bit. Love showing it to people when they visit and it is always funny to record them without them knowing and showing them the video after (Threats that I have to delete the video included). While it is true vr was mostly just gimmicks back then, nowadays there are many made for vr full fledged games and more upcoming ones as well like the new metro vr game.
    That note that plays when you grab the crowbar sends chills down you spine every time.
    Imagen if Valve just shadow dropped a trailer for half life 3, the internet as we know it would explode :D

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Nice thoughts on VR StarFall! I agree. Thanks for watching and I'm happy you enjoyed my review. I've also recorded a friend over at the house enjoying VR for the first time.

  • @Diehard148
    @Diehard148 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    I'm halfway through your review but also at the same point in the game. I stopped watching to experience the rest for myself in person.
    The review is very fun to watch, as are your original experience videos.
    Actually I may wait to upgrade my VR setup before finishing this masterpiece, to experience it in the best possible way.
    As a side note: I think it is pretty normal for a grownup to be scared in the dark in these kind of circumstances 😅

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Sounds like a plan! Have fun! Thanks for watching.

  • @Valkester
    @Valkester หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Just finished the vid, I could not agree more. You climbed up my ranks of fav TH-camrs. Thanks for making content in general.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      I really appreciate this and am humbled. Thank you.

  • @Marcio_Miranda_76
    @Marcio_Miranda_76 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    You've made me watch an entire 1 hour review for a game I already played a few times. Well done. And about HL3, Gabe said a few times that they like to have a challenge as a reason to do a new game. I Think a good one was to make HL3 as a game that works well in flat and VR.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      YES! 🤯 That's a great challenge for Valve! I'd love to see that. And then it would make everyone happy. ☺️ I'm so happy I was able to keep you entertained with this review for the full hour. Thanks so much for watching.

  • @AlissonPS
    @AlissonPS หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Awesome review, congrats! ^_^ It's a pleasure to have found your channel!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you Alisson! Great to hear from you also! All of y'all are awesome.

  • @xXYannuschXx
    @xXYannuschXx หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    HL:A is still the benchmark for VR games, in terms of immersion and graphics. It really showed what VR can do, but sadly not many studios took this as an inspiration. There still alot of VR games (especially from larger studios) that just dont seem to grasp what makes a good VR game, or just release the game in a pretty much unplayable state (Bulletstorm VR...)

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      That's really sad.

  • @rick-deckard
    @rick-deckard หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    That depth perception thing is easy to forget. A lot of people think VR is like having a big monitor around you, and you look around to "mouse look" with your head. It isn't until you truly wear the headset that you "Get" that you're not mouse looking or moving the "camera" around with your head. You're there in the space. You feel like you've visited the places, instead of "played the levels".

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Exactly! I remember the first time that I could describe scale and distance from a game to somebody by pointing to a real life objects because I was there in the space. 🤯

  • @vaingloriant
    @vaingloriant หลายเดือนก่อน

    The fact this channel doesn't have way more subscribers is mind boggling. Fantastic content here, and I'm only around 5 minutes in!
    Definitely giving a like and subscribe. Cheers!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      I appreciate you saying this and for supporting the channel.

  • @GoldSrc_
    @GoldSrc_ หลายเดือนก่อน

    Amazing review, your narration was great.
    Those ghostly figures at the end were probably future C17 citizens, notice how they have the same blue clothes as the ones in HL2.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Oooooooh I like your theory about future C17 citizens! Makes sense. Wonder why they seemed to use the same character model? But yes, that is the same blue clothes. Thank you for watching, man. The narration took such a long time. My initial written script was over 8000 words and I adlibbed on top of that!

  • @ParadiseDecay
    @ParadiseDecay หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Awesome review!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you PD! Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @leespinks1774
    @leespinks1774 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great review I just subbed. It wss also my first vr game and unfortunately there is nothing else like it. You can get loads of campaign mods for more action. You should try the HL2 vr mod. It is a whole new way to play through.
    If you like horror and jump scares try Madison VR 😂

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Thank you! I've actually already started HL2VR ☺️ and it's very cool with texture mods. I am also dipping my toes into the HLA mods also. Thanks so much for the support!

  • @Co-opSource
    @Co-opSource หลายเดือนก่อน

    Excellent review. You clearly put a lot of effort into this and it paid off in spades. I look forward to watching your HL3 (VR!) play through & review.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you for noticing and recognizing my efforts. =) I also look forward to the HL3 content!!

  • @jawhoney
    @jawhoney หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Sounds like this is your destiny

  • @stunytsuR
    @stunytsuR หลายเดือนก่อน

    I just got into vr about 2 weeks ago. Half life alyx and half life 2 vr mod are what i'm playing right now.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Nice! Great stuff!

  • @gerasmus
    @gerasmus หลายเดือนก่อน

    The first upgrades must be autoloaders for the three weapons.
    Those were needed to easily hunt and defeat the electric dog-like things.
    I ended the game with 13 shotgun shells remaining.
    Second upgrade, laser sights.
    I've finished HL:A 12 times, each time I play it gets better!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Wow you are truly a veteran of HLA! 12x!

    • @gerasmus
      @gerasmus หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@beyond_xen Love it!

  • @mr0pi720
    @mr0pi720 หลายเดือนก่อน

    If you want to experience what is like to be in 0 gravity in VR, i would say you need to try Lone echo and Lone echo 2 as well.
    Definitely worth the experience.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you! I have recently played the first Lone Echo. I need to upload the final episode soon. Hopefully will be playing the second Lone Echo also but the first game didn't get as many views.

  • @GilMaster2000
    @GilMaster2000 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Amazing video. You should try some Mods histories that are available at game workshop for H.L. Alyx. There are several Mods that are worth to try to extend the H.L. Alyx eperience. In addition you can find two Mods that are particulary famous that certainly are not part of the H.L. Alyx universe, but they are so amazing: Gunman Contracts I & II. Just try them, they will blow out your mind.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you Gil! I am actually editing the first Chapter of Gunman Contracts now. That one will get your blood pumping!! =O Looking forward to experiencing the second chapter soon, and also these other extensions of Alyx I hear talked about. =)

  • @AndreasVikingB
    @AndreasVikingB หลายเดือนก่อน

    Amazing review dude! This video deserves a lot more views!
    I recommend trying the VR modded versions of Half-Life aswell! Especially Half-Life 2 VR MOD. Ravenholm is crazy atmospheric in VR
    EDIT: I just saw that you already made a video of it! Keep up the good work man! 😊

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you man! I really appreciate it! Ravenholm in VR approaches.

  • @MoTHO_BRO_293
    @MoTHO_BRO_293 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great TH-camr!

  • @guykonstrucks8733
    @guykonstrucks8733 หลายเดือนก่อน

    You would LOVE the 'from here to there' mod for HL:A. There are so many bits of writing and detail that usually people aren't as enthusiastic to read. I wouldn't mind seeing you playing through other HL:A mods as well, if you want any suggestions!
    This video was also very entertaining by the way, thanks for the effort!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you! I'll take suggestions for sure! I have recently tried Gunman Contracts CH 1.

    • @guykonstrucks8733
      @guykonstrucks8733 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@beyond_xen Well, after looking at my subscriptions I'd recommend;
      1. Half-Life: incursion, this one is super stressful, pure gunplay, and has some of the best replayability on the workshop.
      2. of course Gunman Contracts CH 2, because you already know how good it is from the first.
      3. Return to Rapture, I haven't played this, but it has new gameplay set in rapture from Bioshock with custom voice acting.
      4. Half Life: Levitation, this one is pretty big and innovative, with a full narrative set as a kind of "sequel" to the base campaign.
      5. From Here to There, This one sticks very closely to the HL canon and has amazing world building, but also a lot of unique gameplay and original story elements.
      Overall, I think that so far 'Levitation' and 'From Here to There' are the closest we've gotten to expansions like the episodes we got for Half Life 2, so I'm just saying if you were to play those...
      I'm sure nobody would be *disappointed* if a lets play of a them appeared on your channel. : )

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@guykonstrucks8733 =D Thanks so much! This was super insightful! I took a picture of this so I can use it for reference.

  • @efs3
    @efs3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Funny you're saying they used motion capture, because I'm quite sure they animated it all! The animators at valve are ELITE!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Well dang. Then they ARE good! Fooled me for sure - because I've seen others use mocap in the game industry and movies too. Even fully hand animated, they still would have used some sort of reference footage then. It's too perfect - It literally looks like people walking. The animators are elite indeed!

  • @CodyBoyy
    @CodyBoyy หลายเดือนก่อน

    they have really good mods for old half life games to be vr on steam. you should play them if you like half life and vr

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you for letting me know ☺️

  • @BENNiGamingYT
    @BENNiGamingYT หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great work! 👍
    It's awesome, I'm doing the same thing (not finished, yet!), and each corner I'm amazed by physics, interactions, details... And it's almost 5 years old, should have been a starting point for many games... but to widen the audience to include standalones you had to lose something 😅
    However, Russ is the true King of the story 😂♥️

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Russ is so fun! Thank you! The game is such a masterpiece!

  • @TIEVR
    @TIEVR หลายเดือนก่อน

    you should try to play Half Life 2 with the VR mod, and the 4k texture pack, it works really well, and it's an amazing way to experience hl2 anew

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you, yes I've actually started such a series ☺️

  • @Doug_Burch
    @Doug_Burch หลายเดือนก่อน

    Love the video! Excellent editing!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thanks Dad!!

  • @OldTechNerd
    @OldTechNerd หลายเดือนก่อน

    I always compare VR to a roller coaster. I could describe an RC to you, show you videos, explain how it felt to ride one, but you would have no idea what it was actually like until you experienced it yourself.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      That is a wonderful anology, sir! Well said! I'm going to use that also.

  • @dan_kitty_vr5107
    @dan_kitty_vr5107 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I love this! well crafted :)

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you! =D It was a great time of crafting! And I'm so glad it's out for everyone to see.

  • @mattymatt2323
    @mattymatt2323 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great review dude, well done.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you Matty!!

  • @rick-deckard
    @rick-deckard หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you for explaining all this.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      You're welcome! It was a labor of love. Glad to be of help. :)

  • @MrBeetsGaming
    @MrBeetsGaming หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I would imagine you're aware but all of the Half-Life games can be played in VR now, Portal 2 also.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      That's nice =) Makes sense, I had a feeling.

  • @ArmyBloxburg
    @ArmyBloxburg หลายเดือนก่อน

    Can’t wait to watch!!

  • @smegmosisjones5645
    @smegmosisjones5645 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great video, now its all downhill from here lol. Starting with the best VR game, nothing else quite lives up to it.

  • @tensix5481
    @tensix5481 หลายเดือนก่อน

    But if they make HL3 non-VR, the people that didn't play HL:Alyx because it was VR only won't know what the heck is going on when they start it up.. remember the endings in both are very different now.

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Good point. They will have to give everyone a Prelude at the beginning to make it work with non-VR.

    • @tensix5481
      @tensix5481 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @beyond_xen "last time on: half-life..."

  • @DKStanford
    @DKStanford หลายเดือนก่อน

    You sound like you're from TN or KY. I used to be better at identifying southern accents, but I left the region and spent decades living around the world. FWIW, I'm NOT making fun. I grew up in the south and have lived in VA, TN, AL, and GA. I just love the accents and dialect. I can't quite place your accent, but it sounds to me like East TN, but you lack a real drawl so maybe middle or west TN? Or I'm totally off-base? Maybe Arkansas. There's a lot of bleed over (accent wise) to Arkansas, but I haven't spent enough time there to really be familiar. I used to live in OK and TX but those accents aren't at all southern.

    • @DKStanford
      @DKStanford หลายเดือนก่อน

      Certainly not AL, GA, or MS. Your diction is too precise and sounds nothing like the deep south. The more I think about it the more I'm leaning towards middle or west TN or Arkansas. Maybe?

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Haha yep I'm from Arkansas 😁

    • @DKStanford
      @DKStanford หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@beyond_xen Arkansas is one of the few states I haven't spent much time in but I've driven through a number of times. Beautiful state (with some of the best mountain biking in the US!). You have a wonderful accent and now I'm going to have to do some research on what groups settled that state. I'm from the Appalachian mountains where we have lots of Scotch-Irish in our speach. You have some similar patterns (e.g. subtly stretching one syllable into two). Oh, I've enjoyed your actual VR videos as well! This one just popped up in my feed today and as I sat listening I couldn't help but fixate on your wonderful accent. Be proud of it!

    • @beyond_xen
      @beyond_xen  หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you!!

  • @martinwolker9510
    @martinwolker9510 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Bro, spoilers :D !!!

  • @Rakenclaw
    @Rakenclaw หลายเดือนก่อน

    All other VR games are hot garbage in comparison. Valve raised the bar high, and nobody else rose to the occasion imo.